Dubai’s Al Jalila oilfield operational in 2011

Dubai’s Al Jalila oilfield is on track to begin operations before the end of 2011, Sheikh Ahmed, chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Energy Council, said on Monday.

“God willing, it will start this year,” he told reporters in Dubai, declining to give production levels.

The United Arab Emirates is one of the world’s largest oil exporters, producing some 2.6 million barrels a day (bpd).

But most of the UAE’s production is clustered in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, with Dubai currently producing only around 100,000 bpd from four existing fields, according to the U.S. Energy Administration. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; writing by Daniel Fineren; editing by Keiron Henderson)